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Author
Topic: Belly Fat (Read 7862 times)

I'm getting disgusted by my growing gut. I can't believe we finally have the drugs to keep us alive but also create issues that hit at the core of my vanity. I'm steadily watching my belly get larger and actually started reducing calories. I lost a couple of pounds and the belly grows...lol

Other than traditional diet and exercise, has anybody discovered the magic bullet to fight this. I have people suddenly tell me how great I'm looking yet I have the worst body image ever.

I had a 45 pound gut before moving to Hawaii and discovering a yoga practice. I have gone from a 44 inch waist size to a 34 inch waist size not to mention massive improvements to life long ADD and depression issues.I believe an intense yoga practice can bring balance to our organ function better that any other tradition can. The Buddha recommends we don't attach to our bodies because they will grow old get sick and die no matter what. He recommends working on non-attatchment to find peace and happiness.It's diffidently a work in progress for me but I see wisdom in it. Now that my body looks da-kine my teeth have gone to pot lol it's always something.

The deep visceral fat accumulation is because of lipodystrophy which is a side effect of the drugs not poor diet or exercise. There is a huge difference between visceral fat and subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous fat can be affected by diet and exercise. I work out a lot and yes I've been practicing yoga for 15 years (the total package not the McYoga crap)and I eat a very good diet and I still have a belly.

There are many posts in the Lipodystrophy forum you might want to review.

I assumed that being an LTS you might have already known this or encountered this, but hey, that's why we have theses forums.

sharkie is absolutely correct -- fondoo, it's not helpful to pimp out your quasi-denialist yoga bullcrap to someone who is asking about lipogypertrophy/visceral fat issues caused by AVR's at a cellular level, namely how your body uses natural insulin which get stored around the liver and other internal belly organs. For someone that watches their diet and exercises it's not an issue of pinch-an-inch subcutaneous fat.

For someone who first pranced on this board with a one-word reply of "Yoga!" and now finds them self with 3 t-cells due to a five year indulgence in [forbidden link deleted] I would tread carefully on certain topics here in Orthodoxy Land, now that you've decided to go back to popping poison pills.

According to the guidelines, I'm pathetically in the middle of the scale. I'm 5'9" and weigh 145lbs. I can't gain weight and have always been skinny. Yet, if I gain 15 lbs i'd be toward the overweight side?

for myself, I am 5' 10" and for the 29 years after high school graduation I weighted in the same 130-135lb range (except for several years of AIDS and wasting that reduced me to closer to 120). Last Sept I moved back home to the Carolinas, quit riding my bicycle 4-5 days a week, and have gained 10 lbs that I can't seem to lose. Of course, my lack of consistent exercise has allowed that 10 lbs to not only nicely flesh out my face; but also to, sadly, give me what I think is a tiny bit of gut. However I have been receiving compliements about looking better, so it's obviously a body image issue AND an exercise issue for me.

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leatherman (aka mIkIE)

All the stars are flashing high above the seaand the party is on fire around you and meWe're gonna burn this disco down before the morning comes- Pet Shop Boys chart from 1992-2015Isentress/Prezcobix

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I didn't indicate that I've gained weight. I've lost a couple of pounds thinking I'd reduce my belly fat. But it appears to be getting larger. I lost a lot of weight prior to being diagnosed with Crypto in March 2009. I gained back weight pretty quickly which is why I assumed I had the larger belly. But even with diet and exercise it still seems to be getting larger.

After thinking about this for a few minutes, I'm starting to remember why I checked out of this culture and avoided all the drama queen chaos. I guess it was kinda ridiculous to think things have changed within our own community.

If dismissing, ridiculing and jabbing each other is the productive aspect of this forum, then I don't belong.

May my words today be soft and sweet for tomorrow I may be eating them.Miss Philicia I pray you find relief from your anger and hatred for those who disagree with you.Directing anger at someone is like picking up a hot coal and throwing it at them. You may hit the person but *you* will be far more burned.Today I will make prayers and offerings for you to find peace joy and abundance. "(the total package not the McYoga crap)" That's funny Sharkie and I am attracted to the ancient traditional practices as well.May we both achieve total and absolute enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. P.S. Miss Philicia I think your knowledge of the science and treatment of HIV is very impressive and it's very good of you to be here to try to help others

I didn't indicate that I've gained weight. I've lost a couple of pounds thinking I'd reduce my belly fat. But it appears to be getting larger. I lost a lot of weight prior to being diagnosed with Crypto in March 2009. I gained back weight pretty quickly which is why I assumed I had the larger belly. But even with diet and exercise it still seems to be getting larger.

After thinking about this for a few minutes, I'm starting to remember why I checked out of this culture and avoided all the drama queen chaos. I guess it was kinda ridiculous to think things have changed within our own community.

If dismissing, ridiculing and jabbing each other is the productive aspect of this forum, then I don't belong.

Good Day!

EEK culture? what culture are you talking about, I"m not really sure?

I think there is a lot of anger in the world around us now. Look at what's happening in the news. If you really don't want to be a part of this forum then you have every right to leave of course. But wasn't your last couple of paragraphs a bit of "high drama?" Sure we might blow up at each other once in awhile but most of the time we understand it might be something we are going through and we get over it.

The LTS here is full of people that I consider friends. Friends that have helped me get through some dark dark times and some have helped me when I think I couldn't have gone on any further.

May my words today be soft and sweet for tomorrow I may be eating them.Miss Philicia I pray you find relief from your anger and hatred for those who disagree with you.Directing anger at someone is like picking up a hot coal and throwing it at them. You may hit the person but *you* will be far more burned.Today I will make prayers and offerings for you to find peace joy and abundance. "(the total package not the McYoga crap)" That's funny Sharkie and I am attracted to the ancient traditional practices as well.May we both achieve total and absolute enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. P.S. Miss Philicia I think your knowledge of the science and treatment of HIV is very impressive and it's very good of you to be here to try to help others

A true budhist would pray quietly seeking relief for his own anger and hatred, not passive aggressively pointing it out in others.

A true budhist would pray quietly seeking relief for his own anger and hatred, not passive aggressively pointing it out in others.

Progress not perfection bro.The fact I seek to improve myself through practice makes me the real deal the fact that I am not yet enlightened is the reason for passive aggression and spiritual pride. But feel free to classify me as untrue or any other way you choose. Also for reminding me I may be getting to involved with this site.

I appreciate the messages I've rec'd from several of you. We all have our unique experiences but I don't understand the bitterness sometimes. I want to to be surrounded by people with something positive to offer. It's easy to hide behind anonymity with our avatars and such. I was desperately searching for a place to find some comfort and support.

Maybe I need to redefine myself. That's what I was reaching out for. Just because I've been positive longer than I was negative means I know a lot. In rural Ohio in those days, they gave you a diagnosis and sent you on your way. Bill used to be my rock foundation. We had a wonderful life, and I always assumed he'd be the one to take care of my final days instead of the other way around. I lost him almost 5 years ago and I'm still not over it. I made stupid decisions because of my despair. After 15 years, I just couldn't imagine life without him.

Again, I'd like to thank those who sent me personal messages of support.

I understand what your going through... I have a 32 inch waist and a 35 inch gut...so I have bought the ab-circle and I'm trying to see if it will help? Other than that nothing seems to work... I have zero fat of my body except for a hard-belly... I hate the bloated felling... oh well life goes on...

This is one of the only forums that I think some of us feel safe enough to kind of 'take a jab' at another LTSer...as stated, we are all friends, or most of us are...we've been through a LOT, and a lot of it together.

Hope you stick around Wolfter...I get disheartened myself sometimes, but I keep checking in. The things that bother me, I choose not to comment on (sort of like flipping channels on TV)

HUGS,Alan

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"Remember my sentimental friend that a heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others." - The Wizard of Oz

I understand what you guys are saying. Eventually I will feel comfortable enough to not take things so offensively. These forums are no different than real life encounters. If you attended a gathering and someone immediately started jabbing, I doubt you would want to continue a conversation.

But anyways, even at my age, I learned something new. You don't go to redneck bars with your brother and drink beer and then come home and follow it up with white zin. He looked so mortified when I asked the bartender if they served wine.....

I have the same problem. I go to the gym 3 times a week and do plenty of walking. Still have the belly. Afraid to take my clothes off at the gym or take a shower. My belly is not flab. Its hard and hollow. My doctor has tried to cut some meds out to help this, but nothing works. I have been told that they can not do liposuction on the belly. So i guess i got to deal with it. Know what you are going through.

I carried around a 35-pound ball of visceral fat for nearly eleven years. I worked out like crazy for months at a time, but the more exercise I got, the more the fat fought back; I was running an uphill battle. About two years ago I decided to stop taking protease inhibitors, since that was thought to be the main culprit, at least in my case. It has worked wonders! I lost nearly all of it within a year. The down side is all the muscle I've lost because the fat made me too tired to do anything after a while, so the net result is the same basic body-shape as when I had my gut, but, hey...I'm lighter.

I plan to get involved in a clinical trial involving Human Growth Hormone about nine, ten years ago, but I changed my mind; too many needles.

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“The opportunity to live long enough to heal, if healing is possible, is often because they’ve had someone in their lives who have stayed with them.”

I carried around a 35-pound ball of visceral fat for nearly eleven years. I worked out like crazy for months at a time, but the more exercise I got, the more the fat fought back; I was running an uphill battle. About two years ago I decided to stop taking protease inhibitors, since that was thought to be the main culprit, at least in my case. It has worked wonders! I lost nearly all of it within a year. The down side is all the muscle I've lost because the fat made me too tired to do anything after a while, so the net result is the same basic body-shape as when I had my gut, but, hey...I'm lighter.

I plan to get involved in a clinical trial involving Human Growth Hormone about nine, ten years ago, but I changed my mind; too many needles.

Ah the wonderfull world off body image. Like many off us I suddenly lost an athletic body that in my vanity gave me and on occasion others pleasure. More importantly I lost strength, dexterity and balance which allowed me to hurtle around London on my beloved bike, hike all day,tennis ,surf and enjoy the occasional look ,comment from others, and dancing , I do miss the dancing.

Initially this was due to HIV illness, however I did get comfort from realizing that just getting older would also bring these losses, Having always had a mixed group off friends I was aware long before HIV that I did not want to be an older Gay man desperately fighting the aging process always looking shiny with the moisturiser.

What also helped was realizing the huge pressure,especially within urban gay life to look a certain way and how when anyone lost the balance between developing the body over the mind then as usual it was only benefiting the greedy and never the individual.

So please do not get locked into seeing your worth from your assessment off your physical image, its not easy but as the women in my family say you NEVER EVER want to end up mutton dressed as lamb being all fur coat and no knickers.t

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"If we can find the money to kill people, we can find the money to help people ." Tony Benn

Well, I suppose I should introduce myself, huh? (I was trying to find a place for this in the Profile section, but didn't see it): I first tested HIV+ in 1988 (after several false-positive and -negative results), and was diagnosed "full-blown" in 1989. I was on AZT until fall 1996, when I started taking a new med, Crixivan. The rest is history...

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“The opportunity to live long enough to heal, if healing is possible, is often because they’ve had someone in their lives who have stayed with them.”

Thanks Theyer. You brought a smile to me. I guess sometimes I forget these things would occur even if I didn't have HIV. I recently attended my 25th high school reunion and I can assure you, I wouldn't change bodies with the majority of them. It probably is about culture. In the 80's we didn't tend to care about what was inside the package, but rather how nicely it was wrapped. It was so easy back then when you had a beautiful body, great smile, bright blue eyes and a cute coyness that melted others' hearts. Now we have to rely on personalities, wit, charm and intelligence. I guess I should be grateful to still be around with my belly, thinning hair, bifocals and expensive dental work.

Well, I suppose I should introduce myself, huh? (I was trying to find a place for this in the Profile section, but didn't see it): I first tested HIV+ in 1988 (after several false-positive and -negative results), and was diagnosed "full-blown" in 1989. I was on AZT until fall 1996, when I started taking a new med, Crixivan. The rest is history...

First, I'd like to say hello and welcome you. It'll probably take a while to figure out how to use this forum. It sure did with me. Oh, the AZT days. But it was the beginning of the drugs we now have.

This study may be of interest, although the article is written for the general public and not specifically for those of us dealing with HIV and lipodystrophy. Don't be misled by the title -- it's about reduction of visceral fat, not body fat in general.